A package structure and method of packaging for an interferometric modulator. A thin film material is deposited over an interferometric modulator and transparent substrate to encapsulate the interferometric modulator. A gap or cavity between the interferometric modulator and the thin film provides a space in which mechanical parts of the interferometric modulator may move. The gap is created by removal of a sacrificial layer that is deposited over the interferometric modulator.
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17. A display device, comprising:
a transparent substrate;
an interferometric modulator disposed on the transparent substrate, said interferometric modulator comprising:
a first sacrificial layer; and
a first opening exposing said first sacrificial layer; and
a thin film backplane sealing said interferometric modulator within a package between said transparent substrate and said thin film backplane,
wherein a second sacrificial layer is positioned between said thin film backplane and said interferometric modulator and contacts said first sacrificial layer exposed at said first opening, and
wherein a second opening exists in said thin film backplane.
11. A method of manufacturing a display comprising a plurality of electro-mechanical devices, the method comprising:
providing an electro-mechanical device, wherein said electro-mechanical device comprises:
a first sacrificial layer; and
a first opening into said electro-mechanical device exposing said sacrificial layer;
providing a thin film backplane over said electro-mechanical device, wherein the thin film backplane comprises a second opening;
providing a second sacrificial layer between said thin film backplane and said electro-mechanical device;
introducing a release material through said first and second openings to release the first sacrificial layer and second sacrificial layer, and
wherein at least a part of said first sacrificial layer is removed concurrently with at least a part of said second sacrificial layer.
1. A method of manufacturing a display, the method comprising:
providing an electro-mechanical device, wherein said electro-mechanical device comprises a first sacrificial layer;
depositing a second sacrificial layer over said electro-mechanical device, wherein said second sacrificial layer is exposed to a portion of said first sacrificial layer;
depositing a thin film backplane over and in contact with said second sacrificial layer, wherein the thin film backplane has an opening; and
after depositing the thin film backplane, removing said first and said second sacrificial layers,
wherein at least a part of said first sacrificial layer is removed concurrently with at least a part of said second sacrificial layer,
wherein removing said second sacrificial layer provides a gap above said electro-mechanical device and below said thin film backplane.
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This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/045,738, filed Jan. 28, 2005, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/613,318, filed Sep. 27, 2004, the contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and the packaging of such systems. More specifically, the field of the Invention relates to interferometric modulators and methods of fabricating such modulators with thin film backplanes.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) include micro mechanical elements, actuators, and electronics. Micromechanical elements may be created using deposition, etching, and or other micromachining processes that etch away parts of substrates and/or deposited material layers or that add layers to form electrical and electromechanical devices. One type of MEMS device is called an interferometric modulator. An interferometric modulator may comprise a pair of conductive plates, one or both of which may be transparent and/or reflective in whole or part and capable of relative motion upon application of an appropriate electrical signal. One plate may comprise a stationary layer deposited on a substrate, the other plate may comprise a metallic membrane separated from the stationary layer by an air gap. Such devices have a wide range of applications, and it would be beneficial in the art to utilize and/or modify the characteristics of these types of devices so that their features can be exploited in improving existing products and creating new products that have not yet been developed.
The system, method, and devices of the invention each have several aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope of this invention, its more prominent features will now be discussed briefly. After considering this discussion, and particularly after reading the section entitled “Detailed Description of Certain Embodiments” one will understand how the features of this invention provide advantages over other display devices.
An embodiment provides a package structure for an interferometric modulator display device that eliminates the need for a separate backplane, desiccant, and seal. The display device includes a transparent substrate, an interferometric modulator configured to modulate light transmitted through the transparent substrate, and a thin film backplane disposed on the modulator and sealing the modulator within a package between the transparent substrate and the thin film backplane. A gap exists between the modulator and the thin film and is created by the removal of a sacrificial layer.
In accordance with another embodiment, a method of manufacturing a display device is provided. According to this method, a transparent substrate is provided and an interferometric modulator is formed on the transparent substrate. A thin film backplane is then deposited over the interferometric modulator and the transparent substrate to seal the modulator between the transparent substrate and the thin film backplane. A sacrificial layer is deposited on the interferometric modulator prior to deposition of the thin film backplane. The sacrificial layer is removed after deposition of the thin film backplane to create a gap between said interferometric modulator and the thin film backplane.
In accordance with yet another embodiment, a microelectromechanical systems display device is provided, comprising a transparent substrate, an interferometric modulator formed on the transparent substrate, and a thin film backplane sealed to the transparent substrate to encapsulate the interferometric modulator between the transparent substrate and the thin film backplane. A cavity exists between the interferometric modulator and the thin film backplane. The cavity is created by removing a sacrificial layer between the interferometric modulator and the thin film backplane.
According to another embodiment, a display device is provided, comprising a transparent substrate, an interferometric modulator, a thin film backplane deposited over the interferometric modulator, and a cavity between the modulator and the thin film backplane. The interferometric modulator is configured to modulate light transmitted through the transparent substrate, and is formed on the transparent substrate. The thin film backplane is deposited over the interferometric modulator to seal the modulator within a package between the transparent substrate and the thin film backplane. The cavity is formed by removing a sacrificial material.
According to yet another embodiment, a display device is provided. The display device includes a transmitting means for transmitting light therethrough, a modulating means configured to modulating light transmitted through the transmitting means, and a sealing means for sealing the modulating means within a package between the transmitting means and the sealing means. The modulating means comprises an interferometric modulator, and the sealing means comprises a thin film.
These and other aspects of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description and from the appended drawings (not to scale), which are meant to illustrate and not to limit the invention, and wherein:
The following detailed description is directed to certain specific embodiments of the invention. However, the invention can be embodied in a multitude of different ways. In this description, reference is made to the drawings wherein like parts are designated with like numerals throughout. As will be apparent from the following description, the invention may be implemented in any device that is configured to display an image, whether in motion (e.g., video) or stationary (e.g., still image), and whether textual or pictorial. More particularly, it is contemplated that the invention may be implemented in or associated with a variety of electronic devices such as, but not limited to, mobile telephones, wireless devices, personal data assistants (PDAs), hand-held or portable computers, GPS receivers/navigators, cameras, MP3 players, camcorders, game consoles, wrist watches, clocks, calculators, television monitors, flat panel displays, computer monitors, auto displays (e.g., odometer display, etc.), cockpit controls and/or displays, display of camera views (e.g., display of a rear view camera in a vehicle), electronic photographs, electronic billboards or signs, projectors, architectural structures, packaging, and aesthetic structures (e.g., display of images on a piece of jewelry). MEMS devices of similar structure to those described herein can also be used in non-display applications such as in electronic switching devices.
One interferometric modulator display embodiment comprising an interferometric MEMS display element is illustrated in
The depicted portion of the pixel array in
The fixed layers 16a, 16b are electrically conductive, partially transparent and partially reflective, and may be fabricated, for example, by depositing one or more layers each of chromium and indium-tin-oxide onto a transparent substrate 20. The layers are patterned into parallel strips, and may form row electrodes in a display device as described further below. The movable layers 14a, 14b may be formed as a series of parallel strips of a deposited metal layer or layers (orthogonal to the row electrodes 16a, 16b) deposited on top of posts 18 and an intervening sacrificial material deposited between the posts 18. When the sacrificial material is etched away, the deformable metal layers are separated from the fixed metal layers by a defined air gap 19. A highly conductive and reflective material such as aluminum may be used for the deformable layers, and these strips may form column electrodes in a display device.
With no applied voltage, the cavity 19 remains between the layers 14a, 16a and the deformable layer is in a mechanically relaxed state as illustrated by the pixel 12a in
In one embodiment, the processor 21 is also configured to communicate with an array controller 22. In one embodiment, the array controller 22 includes a row driver circuit 24 and a column driver circuit 26 that provide signals to a pixel array 30. The cross section of the array illustrated in
In typical applications, a display frame may be created by asserting the set of column electrodes in accordance with the desired set of actuated pixels in the first row. A row pulse is then applied to the row 1 electrode, actuating the pixels corresponding to the asserted column lines. The asserted set of column electrodes is then changed to correspond to the desired set of actuated pixels in the second row. A pulse is then applied to the row 2 electrode, actuating the appropriate pixels in row 2 in accordance with the asserted column electrodes. The row 1 pixels are unaffected by the row 2 pulse, and remain in the state they were set to during the row 1 pulse. This may be repeated for the entire series of rows in a sequential fashion to produce the frame. Generally, the frames are refreshed and/or updated with new display data by continually repeating this process at some desired number of frames per second. A wide variety of protocols for driving row and column electrodes of pixel arrays to produce display frames are also well known and may be used in conjunction with the present invention.
In the
The details of the structure of interferometric modulators that operate in accordance with the principles set forth above may vary widely. For example,
In accordance with the embodiment shown in
A method of packaging an interferometric modulator according to the embodiment shown in
As discussed above, the interferometric modulator 830 is configured to reflect light through the transparent substrate and includes moving parts, such as the movable mirrors 14a, 14b. Therefore, to allow such moving parts to move, a gap or cavity 840 is preferably created between such moving parts and the thin film 820. The gap or cavity 840 allows the mechanical parts, such as the movable mirrors 14a, 14b, of the interferometric modulator 830 to move. It will be understood that before the thin film 820 can be deposited to encapsulate the interferometric modulator 830, a sacrificial layer 850 (shown in
After the interferometric modulator 830 has been formed on the transparent substrate 810, a sacrificial layer 850 is preferably deposited over the upper surfaces of the interferometric modulator 830 and the transparent substrate 810 in Step 920. The sacrificial layer 850 is then patterned in Step 930, using photolithographic techniques. This patterning process preferably localizes the sacrificial layer 850 to the interferometric modulator 830, exposing the transparent substrate 810 around the periphery of the interferometric modulator 830. After the sacrificial layer 850 has been deposited and patterned, a thin film 820 is then deposited over the entire structure, in Step 940. The thin film 820 is then patterned in Step 950, using photolithographic techniques. This patterning process localizes the thin film 820 to the sacrificial layer 850. This patterning step also provides features in the thin film 820 that enable the subsequent removal of the sacrificial layer 850. It should be noted that, at this point in the process, additional sacrificial layers may or may not remain within the interferometric modulator structure. The patterning step 930 allows for removal of sacrificial layer 850 as well as for removal of any sacrificial layers remaining within the interferometric modulator 830. In Step 960, the sacrificial layer 850 and any sacrificial layers within the interferometric modulator 830 are removed, leaving a cavity 840 between the interferometric modulator 830 and the thin film 820, completing processing of the interferometric modulator 830. In Step 970, the features or openings in the thin film 820 are sealed.
In accordance with an embodiment, an interferometric modulator 830 is preferably formed on a transparent substrate 810. It will be understood that the fixed mirrors 16a, 16b of the interferometric modulator 830 are adjacent the transparent substrate 810 and the movable mirrors 14a, 14b are formed over the fixed mirrors 16a, 16b such that the movable mirrors 14a, 14b may move within the cavity 840 of the package structure of the embodiment shown in
To form the interferometric modulator 830, the transparent substrate 810 in one embodiment is covered with indium tin oxide (ITO). The ITO may be deposited by standard deposition techniques, including chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and sputtering, preferably to a thickness of about 500 Å. A relatively thin layer of chrome is preferably deposited over the ITO. The ITO/chrome bilayer is then etched and patterned into columns to form the column electrodes 16a, 16b. A layer of silicon dioxide (SiO2) is preferably formed over the ITO/chrome columns to create partially reflective fixed mirrors 16a, 16b. A sacrificial layer of silicon (Si) is preferably deposited (and later released) over the structure to create a resonant optical cavity between the fixed mirrors 16a, 16b and the movable mirrors 14a, 14b. In other embodiments, this sacrificial layer may be formed of molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), or titanium (Ti).
Another mirror layer, preferably formed of aluminum, is deposited over the sacrificial layer of silicon to form the movable mirrors 14a, 14b of the interferometric modulator 830. This mirror layer is deposited and patterned into rows orthogonal to the column electrodes 16a, 16b to create the row/column array described above. In other embodiments, this mirror layer may comprise highly reflective metals, such as, for example, silver (Ag) or gold (Au). Alternatively, this mirror layer may be a stack of metals configured to give the proper optical and mechanical properties.
The sacrificial layer of silicon is removed, preferably using a gas etching process, after the movable mirrors 14a, 14b are formed to create the optical cavity between the fixed mirrors 16a, 16b and the movable mirrors 14a, 14b. In an embodiment, this sacrificial layer is etched away after the thin film 820 is formed. Standard etching techniques may be used to remove the sacrificial layer of silicon. The particular release etching will depend on the material to be released. For example, xenon diflouride (XeF2) may be used to remove the silicon sacrificial layer. In one embodiment, the sacrificial layer of silicon between the mirrors 16a, 16b, 14a, 14b is removed after the thin film 820 is formed. The skilled artisan will appreciate that each layer of the interferometric modulator 830 is preferably deposited and patterned using standard deposition techniques and standard photolithographic techniques.
As shown in
The skilled artisan will appreciate that the upper sacrificial layer 850 may be formed of any of molybdenum (Mo), silicon (Si), tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), polymer, spin-on glass, or oxide so long as the material provides sufficient step coverage and can be deposited to the desired thickness. The thickness of the sacrificial layer 850 should be sufficient to separate the thin film 820 and the interferometric modulator 830. In one embodiment, the upper sacrificial layer 850 is deposited to a thickness in the range of about 1000 Å to 1 μm, and more preferably in a range of about 1000 Å to 5000 Å. In one embodiment, the sacrificial layer 850 is patterned and etched using standard photolithographic techniques.
In one embodiment, the thin film 820 can be deposited over the entire upper surface of the sacrificial layer 850, as shown in
The thin film 820 is preferably patterned and etched to form at least one opening therein through which a release material, such as xenon diflouride (XeF2), may be introduced into the interior of the package structure 800 to release the sacrificial layer 850. The number and size of these openings depend on the desired rate of release of the sacrificial layer 850. The openings may be positioned anywhere in the thin film 820. In certain embodiments, the sacrificial layer 850 and the sacrificial layer within the interferometric modulator (between the fixed mirrors 16a, 16b and the movable mirrors 14a, 14b) may be released at the same time. In other embodiments, the sacrificial layer 850 and the sacrificial layer within the interferometric modulator are not removed at the same time, with the sacrificial layer 850 being removed prior to the removal of the sacrificial layer within the interferometric modulator.
An alternative release technique is shown by the embodiment in
To remove a sacrificial layer of molybdenum (Mo), silicon (Si), tungsten (W), or titanium (Ti), xenon diflouride (XeF2) may be introduced into the interior of the package structure 800 through an opening or openings in the thin film 820. Such openings in the thin film 820 are preferably created by etching an opening in the thin film 820. The xenon diflouride (XeF2) reacts with the sacrificial layer 850 to remove it, leaving a cavity 840 between the interferometric modulator 830 and the thin film 820. A sacrificial layer 850 formed of spin-on glass or oxide is preferably gas etched or vapor phase etched to remove the sacrificial layer 850 after the thin film 820 has been deposited. The skilled artisan will appreciate that the removal process will depend on the material of the sacrificial layer 850.
The skilled artisan will also appreciate that the cavity 840 is necessary behind the interferometric modulator 830 to allow the mechanical parts, such as the movable mirrors 14a, 14b, of the interferometric modulator 830 to be free to move. The resulting height h of the cavity 840 depends on the thickness of the sacrificial layer 850.
In some embodiments, the thin film 820 may be any type of material that is hermetic or hydrophobic, including, but not limited to, nickel, aluminum, and other types of metals and foils. The thin film 820 may also be formed of an insulator, including, but not limited to, silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, or nitrides.
Alternatively, the thin film 820 may be formed of a non-hermetic material. Suitable non-hermetic materials include polymers, such as, for example, PMMA, epoxies, and organic or inorganic spin-on glass (SOG) type materials. If non-hermetic materials are used for the thin film 820, an overcoat layer 860, as shown in
In certain embodiments in which the thin film 820 is a hydrophobic material, it does not necessarily create a hermetic seal, but may nevertheless eliminate the need for a conventional backplane. It will be appreciated that any further moisture barrier required can be incorporated in the next step of packaging at the module level.
The thin film 820 can be deposited by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or other suitable deposition methods to a thickness of about 1 μm. The skilled artisan will understand that the thickness of the thin film 820 may depend on the particular material properties of the material selected for the thin film 820.
The thin film 820 may be either transparent or opaque. Because images are not displayed through the thin film 820, but rather through the transparent substrate 810, it is understood that the thin film 820 need not be transparent. The skilled artisan will appreciate that transparent materials, such as spin-on glass, may be used to form the thin film 820 as they may have material properties that are suitable for use as a thin film 820 for protection of the interferometric modulator 830. For example, a material such as spin-on glass, which is transparent, may provide more strength and protection to the interferometric modulator 830 within the package structure 800.
After the sacrificial layer 850 is released, the opening(s) in the thin film 820 are preferably sealed. In an embodiment, epoxy is used to seal these openings. The skilled artisan will appreciate that other materials may be used as well and that materials having high viscosity are preferred. If the openings are sufficiently small (e.g. less than 1μ), another layer of the thin film 820 material may be used to seal the openings.
In some embodiments, including, but not limited to, certain embodiments having a hermetic thin film 820, an overcoat layer 860 may be deposited over the thin film 820 after the sacrificial layer 850 has been removed, as shown in
The thin film 820 preferably hermetically seals the interior the package structure 800 from the ambient environment, as shown in
A desiccant may be used to control moisture resident within the package structure 800. However, as the thin film 820 may provide a hermetic seal, depending on the material selected, a desiccant is not necessary to prevent moisture from traveling from the atmosphere into the interior of the package structure 800. In the case of a semi-hermetic thin film 820, the amount of desiccant required is reduced.
In an embodiment, the method of packaging an interferometric modulator according to this embodiment integrates the sealing of the package structure 800 into the front-end processing and eliminates the need for a separate backplane, desiccant, and seal, thereby lowering the cost of packaging. In another embodiment, the thin film 820 reduces the amount of desiccant required rather than eliminating the need for a desiccant. Packaging in accordance with these embodiments reduces the material constraints with respect to both the desiccant and seal, thereby allowing a greater choice or materials, geometries, and opportunities to reduce costs. The thin film 820 can reduce hermetic requirements to allow for not only elimination of a backplane but also allows any additional moisture barrier requirements to be incorporated into the module level packaging. It is generally desirable to keep the package structure as thin as possible and the package structure 800 shown in
The elimination of the need for a desiccant also allows the package structure 800 to be even thinner. Typically, in packages containing desiccants, the lifetime expectation of the device may depend on the lifetime of the desiccant. When the desiccant is fully consumed, the interferometric modulator display will fail as sufficient moisture enters the package structure to cause damage to the interferometric modulator. The theoretical maximum lifetime of the device is determined by the water vapor flux into the package as well as the amount and type of desiccant. In this package structure 800, the interferometric modulator 830 will not fail due to a consumed desiccant as the package structure 800 of this embodiment does not contain any desiccant.
In another embodiment, the thin film 820 is not hermetic and may be permeable to xenon diflouride (XeF2) or another removal gas, which reacts with the sacrificial layer 850 to remove it, leaving a cavity 840 between the interferometric modulator 830 and the thin film 820. According to this embodiment, some suitable materials for the thin film 820 include, but are not limited to porous alumina and certain aerogels. In this embodiment, it is not necessary for the thin film 820 to be formed with any openings so long as it is permeable to xenon diflouride (XeF2) or another removal gas. Preferably, after removal of the sacrificial layer 850, a hermetic overcoat layer 860 is deposited over the thin film 820 to hermetically seal the package structure 800. In these embodiments, the overcoat layer 860 is preferably formed of a metal.
While the above detailed description has shown, described, and pointed out novel features of the invention as applied to various embodiments, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form and details of the device or process illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. As will be recognized, the present invention may be embodied within a form that does not provide all of the features and benefits set forth herein, as some features may be used or practiced separately from others.
Sampsell, Jeffrey B., Chui, Clarence, Kothari, Manish, Cummings, William J., Miles, Mark, Gally, Brian, Palmateer, Lauren
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